* being convicted of tax fraud related to bribery charges* sending operatives to break into the other guy's headquarters, to see what sort of campaign he wants to run* and then lying about it, and obstructing justice whenever and wherever possible* secretly selling arms to an avowed enemy state despite an arms embargo, in order to funnel funds to a group that you have been specifically prohibited by law from funding * lying to Congress and the American about WMDs to start a needless war* forging evidence to back those false claims* deliberately and knowingly outing an agent of the CIA, then perjuring oneself about it* approving the use of torture, extradition to places that torture, and the creation of places to hold people without charges or access to due process for years on end

Things That Are NOT Criminal Scandals:

* being caught boinking the fat girl that brings in the mail. Lying about it under oath kinda/sorta is.* being President when a facility gets attacked in an unsettled place, in such a way that the details get hazy in the fog of war

Look at this nice list of federal political scandals in the United States. Remember that Harding is generally considered the worst and most corrupt President in history. Now see which Presidents since his time have the most scandals under their names, and remind yourself of which party they have in common. It's a remarkable correlation.

It's not about the party, it's about the facts. Sorry, Republicans, but this is yet another circumstance in which the facts seem to be biased against you.

The Republicans being shiatheads does not mean the President has not been trampling the Bill of Rights. I think Benghazi is a tempest in a teapot for the most part, but I do find it unforgivable (not impeachable) that the Administration was blaming some silly little YouTube video for the attacks apparently knowing full well what this was. And the IRS thing, while awful, does not appear to be Obama's fault and I agree with his assessment of the situation thus far. But the recent sweeping, secretive investigation of the AP is startling. So, between the Benghazi response and bullying the AP, we see he's not a fan of the First Amendment. The Second Amendment is an obvious one. He supported renewal of the Patriot Act, continued warrantless wiretaps, signed a bill authorizing indefinite detention of American citizens if they are labeled as "terror suspects", is only just now getting around to maybe, possibly closing our detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, and let's not forget the thousands of deaths from drone strikes that were carried out for the purpose of extra-judicial executions of American citizens overseas. So, he's not real big on the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Eighth Amendments, either. Yes, the Republicans are acting like petulant spoiled brats and they need to stop blocking every appointment willy-nilly, but let's not lose sight of the fact that there are some troubling expansions of unchecked executive power going on.

whistleridge:Look at this nice list of federal political scandals in the United States. Remember that Harding is generally considered the worst and most corrupt President in history. Now see which Presidents since his time have the most scandals under their names, and remind yourself of which party they have in common. It's a remarkable correlationIt's not about the party, it's about the facts. Sorry, Republicans, but this is yet another circumstance in which the facts seem to be biased against you.

It looks like your saying that the presidents were responsible for the scandals listed under their names. You do know that list has Democrat scandals while under Republican presidents and vice versa? I like a good witch hunt as much as the next guy but you can't blame GWB for the actions of a William J. Jefferson just as you cant blame Obama for the actions of Tom Delay. And the simple count of sandals doesn't mean much. There is tax evasion and there is blowing up an aspirin factory just so you can help your poll numbers.

Nabb1:but let's not lose sight of the fact that there are some troubling expansions of unchecked executive power going on.

My problem with all the rabble around these "scandals" is that not once has anyone said "Hey, maybe we shouldn't have given the Feds all this power and authority in the first place, and maybe we should probably do something about that"

Nobody has offered any solutions for that or even really acknowledged the source of the problem because they don't want to give up the power when they're in charge, and because the only concern nowadays is whether or not the abuse benefits "your team"

Aarontology:Nabb1: but let's not lose sight of the fact that there are some troubling expansions of unchecked executive power going on.

My problem with all the rabble around these "scandals" is that not once has anyone said "Hey, maybe we shouldn't have given the Feds all this power and authority in the first place, and maybe we should probably do something about that"

Nobody has offered any solutions for that or even really acknowledged the source of the problem because they don't want to give up the power when they're in charge, and because the only concern nowadays is whether or not the abuse benefits "your team"

And you likely won't see any real movement from within Washington to change that. Bush left Obama a lot of nice playthings for an ambitious President. I mean, look at the only thing the Republicans and Democrats have managed to come together on recently: gutting insider trading laws that apply to themselves. It's disgusting.

Nabb1:And you likely won't see any real movement from within Washington to change that. Bush left Obama a lot of nice playthings for an ambitious President. I mean, look at the only thing the Republicans and Democrats have managed to come together on recently: gutting insider trading laws that apply to themselves. It's disgusting.

I liked how they all were saying that was a bad law to start with, yet only modified the parts that allow us to see what they're up to.

Nabb1:The Republicans being shiatheads does not mean the President has not been trampling the Bill of Rights. I think Benghazi is a tempest in a teapot for the most part, but I do find it unforgivable (not impeachable) that the Administration was blaming some silly little YouTube video for the attacks apparently knowing full well what this was. And the IRS thing, while awful, does not appear to be Obama's fault and I agree with his assessment of the situation thus far. But the recent sweeping, secretive investigation of the AP is startling. So, between the Benghazi response and bullying the AP, we see he's not a fan of the First Amendment. The Second Amendment is an obvious one. He supported renewal of the Patriot Act, continued warrantless wiretaps, signed a bill authorizing indefinite detention of American citizens if they are labeled as "terror suspects", is only just now getting around to maybe, possibly closing our detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, and let's not forget the thousands of deaths from drone strikes that were carried out for the purpose of extra-judicial executions of American citizens overseas. So, he's not real big on the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Eighth Amendments, either. Yes, the Republicans are acting like petulant spoiled brats and they need to stop blocking every appointment willy-nilly, but let's not lose sight of the fact that there are some troubling expansions of unchecked executive power going on.

The President isn't trampling the Bill of Rights. He's ignoring it completely while he trashes the Constitution. Try to keep up.

But the GOP is the party of God. They are only trying to do God's will in a world of evil. They are Armageddon warriors; let them fight the battle God has placed around them and let them win BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY!

Good point. I remember when sitting Congress members questioned Jimmy Carter's eligibility to be President. And how every conservative was convinced Carter was "bad" in multiple contradictory dimensions simultaneously (he was a do-nothing empty suit who was about to implement martial law too, IIRC...).

TheShavingofOccam123:But the GOP is the party of God. They are only trying to do God's will in a world of evil. They are Armageddon warriors; let them fight the battle God has placed around them and let them win BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY!

[s3.amazonaws.com image 218x320]

/famous Republican leader

Unfortunately I think you're on to something - the reality bubble's so pervasive that now the GOP politicans actually believe their own propaganda. If you truly believed Obamacare would be the death of freedom as we know it and doom us all to Death Panels, surely you'd also threaten to implode the economy unless it was repealed, right?

RyogaM:Don't think it's a scandal? It's pretty basic: Republicans, by abusing their Constitutional powers, are - deliberately, in several cases - preventing the government from carrying out duly passed laws.

Oh fer fark's sake, get a grip.

Agreed.

If it wasn't these scandals, the GOP members of Congress would just be trying to repeal Obamacare for the 38th time.

Gaseous Anomaly:Danger Mouse: you over there...get ready to call someone a racist

Good point. I remember when sitting Congress members questioned Jimmy Carter's eligibility to be President. And how every conservative was convinced Carter was "bad" in multiple contradictory dimensions simultaneously (he was a do-nothing empty suit who was about to implement martial law too, IIRC...).

/he was very articulate though

Joe Biden believed so much in Obama's articulateness that he ran against him in the primaries.